THE 
FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
May, 1844. 
THE GLOXINIA. 
WITH AN ENGRAVING OF G. ROSEA ALBA. 
Perhaps, never were the expectations of cultivators raised to 
a higher degree, than when their anticipations of hybrids of this 
lovely genus was first given life to, by the appearance of G. 
rubra. Thousands of seedlings were grown the following sea¬ 
son, and many have continued to produce them annually ever 
since, — ourselves among the number: but how few have suc¬ 
ceeded in producing a variety worth preserving! It is true, some 
consolation may be gleaned from the failure, but it is a selfish 
one—that the value of the few produced has been thus en¬ 
hanced, — for it is not unlikely that, had cross-breeds been 
originated as readily as was at first imagined, they would have 
become so multitudinous by this time, as to have materially 
affected the general estimation in which they are held. Yet, 
however true this may be,' and without regarding how par¬ 
ticularly the “fortunate few” may hug themselves with this 
reflection, we must endeavour to elicit some other and more 
useful information from the disappointment. We have heard of 
no more than three varieties being raised at all worth keeping, 
and all of these we have had opportunities of seeing. They are 
each one pale rose-coloured, varying a trifle in the shade,—all 
evidently the offsprings of a cross between rubra and Candida. 
But of the many hundreds we have seen flowered from seed of 
VOL. v. no. v. K 
